Joe McKnight, one of the top freshman tailback's in the country, took small steps on Monday toward possibly playing in USC's opener Saturday against Idaho. McKnight practiced for the first time in two weeks and is scheduled to be fitted today with a new brace to protect a stretched ligament in his right knee. "I don't feel rusty," McKnight said after the Trojans' no-pads workout. McKnight, however, has not been cleared for contact. "He's cleared to run and make his moves and do all that kind of stuff," Coach Pete Carroll said. "They just want to take it one day at time and see how strong he is and see how he handles it."